The Tao Te Chin(g) of Skateboarding: A Guide to Stoke (Part 2)

                                  The Tao Te Chin(g) of Skateboarding: A Guide to Stoke (Part 2)

See this post for introduction.

11

We join seven steal balls together in a bearing

but it is the center hole

that allows us to roll;

We shape concrete into a pool

but the emptiness inside

is what we occupy

We hammer wood for a DIY

but it is the space between features

that make it skateable

We work with Being,

but non-Being is what we skate.

12

Colors (of graphics) blind the eye.
Sounds (of grinds) deafen the ear.
Flavors numb the taste.
Thoughts (of skating) weaken the mind.
Desires (to improve) wither the heart.

The Master skates, and observes, the world
but trusts his inner vision.
He allows things to come and go.
His Stoke is open as the sky.

13

Success is as dangerous as failure.
Hope is as hollow as fear.

What does it mean that success is a dangerous as failure?
Whether you go up the ladder or down it,
you position is shaky.
When you stand with your two feet on the ground,
you will always keep your balance.

What does it mean that hope is as hollow as fear?
Hope and fear are both phantoms
that arise from thinking of the self.
When we don't see the self as self,
what do we have to fear?

See the Session as your self.
Have faith in the way things are.
Love the Stoke as your self;

then you can care for all that skateboarding offers.

14

Look for the Stoke, and it can't be seen.
Listen, and it can't be heard.
Reach, and it can't be grasped.

Above, it isn't bright.
Below, it isn't dark.
Seamless, unnamable,
it returns to the realm of nothing.
Form that includes all forms,
image without an image,
subtle, beyond all conception.

Approach it and there is no beginning;
follow it and there is no end.
You can't know it, but you can be it,
at ease on your board, and in your own life.
Just realize where your skating first came from; The Original Stoke.
This is the essence of wisdom.

15

The first skaters were profound and subtle.
Their Stoke was unfathomable.
There is no way to describe it.
all we can describe is their appearance.

They were careful
as someone crossing an iced-over stream.
Alert as a warrior in enemy territory.
Courteous as a guest.
Fluid as melting ice.
Shapable as a block of wood.
Receptive as a valley.
Clear as a glass of water.

Do you have the patience to wait
till your mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain unrolling
till the right line arises by itself?

The Master doesn't seek fulfillment.
Not seeking, not expecting,
he is present in the session, and welcomes all things.

16

Empty your mind of all thoughts.
Let your heart be at peace.
Watch the turmoil of beings,
but contemplate their return.

Each separate skater in the universe
returns to the common source.
Returning to the source is serenity.

If you don't realize the source,
you stumble in confusion and sorrow.
When you realize where your skating first came from,
you naturally become tolerant,
disinterested, amused,
kindhearted as a grandmother,
dignified as a king.
Immersed in the wonder of the Stoke,
you can deal with whatever a session, and life brings you,
and when death comes, you are ready.

17

When the Master governs, the people
are hardly aware that he exists.
Next best is a leader who is loved.
Next, one who is feared.
The worst is one who is despised.

If you don't trust the people,
you make them untrustworthy.

The Master doesn't talk, he acts.
When his work is done,
skaters say, "Amazing:
we made a DIY, all by ourselves!"

18

When the great Stoke is forgotten,
goodness and piety appear.
When the body's intelligence declines,
cleverness and knowledge step forth.
When there is no peace in the family,
filial piety begins.
When the community falls into chaos,
competition and comparison are born.

19

Throw away holiness and wisdom,
and people will be a hundred times happier.
Throw away morality and justice,
and people will do the right thing.
Throw away industry and profit,
and there won't be any thieves.

If these three aren't enough,
just stay at the center of the bearing*
and let all things roll on their course.

*See Chapter 11

20

Stop thinking, and end your problems.
What difference between yes and no?
What difference between success and failure?
Must you value the trends, tricks, and style that others value,
avoid what others avoid?
How ridiculous!

Other people are excited,
as though they were at a product toss.
I alone don't care,
I alone am expressionless,
like an infant before it can smile.

Other people have what they need;
I alone possess nothing.
I alone drift about,
like someone without a home.
I am like an idiot, my mind is so empty.

Other people are bright;
I alone am dark.
Other people are sharper;
I alone am dull.
Other people have a purpose;
I alone don't know.
I drift like a wave on the ocean,
I blow as aimless as the wind.

I am different from ordinary skaters.
I drink from the Great Mother's breasts.

The Tao Te Chin(g) of Skateboarding: A Guide to Stoke (Part 1)

                             The Tao Te Chin(g) of Skateboarding: A Guide to Stoke

     The Tao Te Ching is a mind-blowing piece of Eastern literature and philosophy. It was written circa 6th century BCE, and speaks to the true nature of the universe, and humans’ place within it. In English the title roughly translates as “The Book of the Way of Virtue.” Anyone who has ever ridden a skateboard, and read the Tao Te Ching, will observe that the Tao also speaks to some of skateboarding’s deeper “spiritual” aspects. In turn, these are guidelines for a meaningful existence. For a long time I’ve wanted to revise the original Tao text into a skater’s version of the Tao. This post is the first part of that project. The original Tao has 81 “chapters,” which are more like short poems. I will post these in groups of ten chapters at a time (e.g. one post containing ten chapters). My adaptations are all based off Stephen Mitchell’s translation from the original Chinese, should anyone want to compare the original translation to mine. On this note, where Mitchell uses the word Tao, I use the word “Stoke.”  Once I have completed/posted all 81 chapters, I hope to compile all of them into a ‘zine or booklet format. I’ll burn that bridge to the ground once I come to it.  

NOTES ON SEQUENCING: When it comes to the Tao/skateboard comparison, parts of the Tao text almost rewrite itself. Other parts are much harder, if not impossible, to correlate to skateboarding without twisting, torturing, and bending the meaning of the original text. In such spots, I have no intention of distorting the original meanings by forcing a square peg (skateboarding) into a round hole (the Tao). For now, those chapters will not be included in my adaptation. I may rework them at some point in the future, but I do not want a few tough chapters to hold up the entire project. If a chapter is omitted, I will make note of it in my posts.

Onward we go…


1

The stoke that can be told
is not the eternal Stoke.
The session that can be named
is not the eternal Session

The unnamable first trick of a child is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin
of all particular things.

Free from competition, you realize the mystery.
Caught in competition, you see only the manifestations.

Yet mystery and manifestations
arise from the same source.
This source is called darkness.

Darkness within darkness.
The gateway to all skateboarding.


2

When people see a style as beautiful,
others become ugly.
When people see tricks as good,
others become bad.

Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy support each other.
Long and short grinds define each other.
High and low ollies depend on each other.
Before and after a session follow each other.

Therefore, the Master
skates without doing anything
and teaches without saying anything.
New tricks arise and he lets them come;
some tricks disappear and he lets them go;
He has but does not possess,
skates but does not expect.
When his session is done, he forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever.


3

If you oversteem great skaters,
others become devalued.
If you overvalue certain styles,
others begin to emulate, and lose their own essence.

The Master skates
by emptying people’s minds
and filling their cores,
by weakening their ambition
And toughing their resolve.
He helps people lose everything
they know, everything they desire,
and creates confusion
in those who think that they know.

Practice not-doing,
And everything will roll into place.


4

The Stoke is like a skatepark:
Used but never used up.
It is like an endless curb:
Filled with infinite possibilities.

It is hidden but always present.
I don’t know who gave birth to it.
It is older than God.


5

The Stoke does not take sides;
it gives birth to all forms of skateboarding.
The Master does not take sides;
he skates all that is before him.

The Stoke is like an unridden deck:
It is unused, yet infinitely capable.
The more you use it, the more it produces;
the more you talk of it, the less you understand.

Hold to the center.


6

The Stoke is sometimes called Chin,
empty yet inexhaustible,
it gives birth to infinite sessions.

It is always present within you.
You can use it at any skate spot, in any way, you want.


7

The Stoke is infinite, eternal.
Why is it eternal?
It was never born;
thus it can never die.
Why is it infinite?
It has no desire for itself;
thus it is present for all skaters.

The Master stays behind;
that is why he is ahead.
He is detached from all skate trends;
that is why he is one with skateboarding.
Because he has let go of himself,
he is perfectly fulfilled.


8

The supreme good is like a curb,
that nourishes all skaters without trying to.
It is content with the low, gutter-places that people disdain.
Thus it is like the Stoke.

In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don’t try to control.
In work and skating, do what you enjoy.
On your board, and in family life, be completely present.

When you are content to be simply yourself
and don’t skate to compare or compete,
everybody will respect you. 



9

Fill your bowl to the brim
and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife
and it will blunt.
Chase after fame, money, and security
and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people’s approval of your skating
and you will forever be their prisoner, and the true Stoke
will never be found.

Skate your session, then step back, and roll away.
The only path to serenity.


10

Can you coax your mind from its wandering
and keep to the original Stoke?
Can you let your body become
supple as a newborn child’s?
Can you cleanse your inner vision
until you see nothing but the light?
Can you love skaters and lead a DIY project
without imposing your will?
Can you deal with the most vital matters
by letting events take their course?
Can you step back from your own mind
and thus understand the Stoke in all things?

Giving birth to, and nourishing, your skating,
having style and tricks without possessing them,
skating without expectations,
leading and not trying to control;
this is the supreme virtue of the Stoke.

29 Years of Wall Rides

These two wall rides photos were taken 29 years apart. One was in 1988. The other was taken today, in 2017. When I think about the 30+ years of joy that my skateboard(s) have given me, I am humbled in gratitude that I have been so lucky to have been doing it this long. Find what you love, and follow it to the grave.

1988.

2017

A Life Parable From Skateboarding

I went skating tonight w/two friends. Didn't have much energy. We were just tooling around at a basketball court doing flatland. Seemed like it was taking me *forever* to get warmed-up, and pull any of my "warm-up" tricks. None of them were coming consistently. Noticed a trash can in the corner. Pulled it out, and laid it down. Took me a few tries get a clean ollie over it. Not a good sign. Likewise with f/s 180s.

For some totally unknown reason, despite feeling really sluggish, despite not skating all that well so that session, and despite the fact that I hadn't done one over anything that large in almost 20 years, I decided to try a b/s 180 ollie over the trash can. First try, I chickened out, and was like "Old man, there is no fucking way you're ever doing a b/s 180 that high/big again. That ship sailed a looong time ago." A few minutes later, I was riding away from one, as clean as can be. 

Skating, and life, work in mysterious ways. You never know what you will, and will not, be able to do on any given day. I wouldn't have it any other way. Go with the flow, and be glad you're still rolling.

Curbe Diem & Gratitude: The Story of 2016

     I’m sitting in a café. It’s December 31, 2016. 2:46pm. I’ve mused the content of a year’s end post for a week or so, but nothing has really “grabbed me by the pussy.” Instead, I am just going to go the gestalt route, and wing it, now. Carpe Diem. We’ll come back to that. 

     Many seem to think that 2016 was bad year. Looking back on it, I don’t feel that way. Quite the opposite, actually. I had a lot of fun this year, and did a lot of things that were meaningful, even if they were not easy. What else can you really ask for? When I think back on 2016, a few things stick out in my mind, but one word hangs heavy; gratitude. More than anything else in 2016, I learned the meaning of that word. Here are a few of the reasons.

Skateboarding 

a.    Skating with friends (esp. Joe, Jason, Ben, and Todd). A lot of laughter, heckling, and fun times were had. As I mentioned elsewhere in this blog, for a long time I had removed myself from the skateboard world. Yeah, I still skated, but I was so disconnected from skate media, local events, and most of all, other skaters. That all started to slowly change in 2014, but in 2016 there was a drastic shift. And all for the better. 2016, I think, was one of the funnest years I’ve ever had on a skateboard. The last 12 months reminded me so much of how “pure” skating is, and can be. I have not had this much enjoyment from skating since 1986, when I was a 12-year-old kid, just starting out. 30 years later, we have come full circle. A lot of that is due to my skate “squad” (hate that term).  I have a lot of gratitude for all the people in my life, especially my skater friends. Thank you.

b.    No major injuries. I am also grateful that I was able to skate a lot more in 2016 than I did in 2015. Yeah, I’ve got my lingering old-man injuries (that may never fully go away), but I didn’t have any *major* injuries in 2016 that kept me off the board for months at a time.

c.    Internet Rock Stars. I also “connected” with a lot of rad skaters on the Internet…people I’ve never met in real life, and prolly never will. Despite that, those people have provided me with all types of stoke, laughter, and thought-provoking content (not to mention the stickers, zines, wheels, decks, and all sorts of neat stuff). Again, nothing but gratitude for so many of you!

d.    1 8. It is a well-known fact that I am one of the biggest Anti-Hero “fan boys” the world has ever seen. I take no shame in that—pride, if anything. It was great to see both Brian Anderson “come out,” and to see him end up on Anti-Hero. Long-term readers of this blog will understand how meaningful all of that was on a personal level. I couldn’t have dreamed of something more perfect. The sometimes overt, sometimes subtle, political/social aspects of AH have always amazed me. Even more so this year, with so much going down.  

e.    Max Hesh. A good skate shop is not just a retail outlet, it is a community center. Boston is lucky to have a shop like this, and I am very fortunate to have become good personal friends with the owner. 

Time With My Parents
A lot people died in 2016. A lot people younger than me. A lot people younger than my parents. It could be any of us, at any time. Combined with my own aging, the mass deaths of 2016 really helped me put it all in perspective. At this point, I consider time my biggest gift, and what I have left of it to skate, enjoy the world, and enjoy time with people I care about. My parents are going to turn 70 in 2017. They are old, and frail. To be crass, they could "check-out" at any point now. For certain, I don’t have too much time left with them, and I have learned to appreciate the time I *do* have with them all the more. The same holds true for every moment I have on my skateboard.

My Job
I have a job I love going to, and co-workers who make me laugh and smile. Too many to name. You know who you are. I am grateful to all of you.   

Just before I started writing all this, I saw a New Year’s Post on the Smelly Curb Instagram feed. “Curbe Diem.” Possibly the best two words ever written, on so many levels. The Curbe Diem concept ties in with so much of this year, and so much this post--I can’t think of a better end 2016, or this entry, or as a better way to usher in 2017 than with those words “Curbe Diem.”

Here are few photos of me, and friends, from 2016.

Jason, at Malden.

Ben, at the barrier.

Todd, at Plymouth DIY.

Joe, B/S Smith at the barrier.

Me, Smtih Grind.

Me, B/S Blunt at the barrier.

Me, under the 1 8, sitting in an abandoned chair, and along side the devil.

Me, Tail Block.

Me, Crail Wallride.

Me, F/S Hurricane.

Me, F/S something or another.

Slappy Andy, Jason, and Dan at The Crust Belt.

Jonathan, F/S Pivot at Plymouth DIY.

Der Winter Ist Angekommen.

Der Winter ist angekommen. Everything sounds more ominous in German (Winter has arrived).

Winter has arrived. Temps finally dropped into the 30s this week. Real feel was 17 degrees last night. The first real snow is supposed to be coming in two days. Winter is notoriously bad in New England. Being a skateboarder during dark months is always a challenge. Not only is it cold, but there is the sand. And salt. They put it down in the roads, streets and parking lots. It gets everywhere, and does not get cleaned up until the spring, usually in April. Nightmare. The broom, the parking garage, and lots of layers are winter skater’s friend. And I haven't even mentioned the snow, ice, and sleet yet. Yeah, there are indoor parks, but they are far away, crowded in winter, and I’ve *never* liked the atmosphere of indoor parks—I just would much rather be outside. 

The mini-half is much easier to shovel out than the entire street course. In early 2016 I shoveled it, and a path, at a local park.  

 I shouldn’t complain much. All of October and November were above normal temps (much like most of the world now is). It didn’t rain much. There was a drought, actually. We had a really good run this summer, and fall. But now it will be below freezing for a few months. It is harder to move in winter because of wearing more layers, and feet go numb. Everything feels sluggish, and takes more effort. It takes longer to get warmed-up (in every meaning of the word). Under Armour cold gear. Winter beanies. Sweat shirts. Thick gloves. Face masks. Cold toes. Slams that hurt more. Chapped lips. All the hallmarks of skating in New England winter.  

Shit got crazy in 2015. I biked home from work that night. 5 miles. Went skating the next day, when it warmed up to -5 degrees.  There is a fine line between hardcore, and stupid. I am way over on the stupid side.

 As a kid I used to skate all winter in my parent’s basement. There wasn’t much room, but there was space for a tiny ¼ pipe, a make shift curb (stall tricks only, no room for moving grind/slides), and slow moving flatland. If I lived in the suburbs, I would still do that, even at the age of 42. An apartment in the big city, however, doesn’t lend itself to well to basement skating. No question, I skate less in the winter. Always have. Always will. The weather just complicates things. People in the south, south west, and California don’t realize how good they have it. It is unfathomable to think that I could skate year-round in “warm” weather.

In some respects, I welcome the winter, especially this one, and to the fact that I won’t be skating as much. I’ve been pretty banged up this summer and fall. Old-man problems with tendonitis in my knee, and Achilles. I hope that less time on the board will help with recovery. It’s just too hard to NOT skate during the nice weather, which certainly doesn’t help things heal-up as quickly as they could/should. Like much in life, winter can be a mixed blessing. I just hope this one ends quickly, and without too much snow, or super cold weather. Onwards we go into the cold darkness.  

          

1 Week Later: The Wax Wars Follow-Up

If you have not read the first part of this test (seen here), you should do so before proceeding any further.

ONE-WEEK FOLLOW-UP: I returned a week later to skate the curbs again, and rerun the tests. Unfortunately, my friend Joe was not with me to compare results. I did not add any additional wax or spray to the curbs. I wanted to see how weathering, etc. impacted their performance. As a reminder, the enamel and lacquer were applied about one week prior to the very first test. So, keep in mind that they had two weeks of exposure compared to the waxed curbs. How did everything hold up?

(1)  DIY WAX: Wax on top of curb was mostly gone. Could still see some on the grinding edge, but not much. The vertical surface still had a bit. I expected this to happen. This is the wax I’ve been using/making for a few years now. It is soft, melts off in the Sun, and is subject to weathering. One the flip side, it is very cheap, and easy to make. How did it grind? It didn’t. At all. Tail slides were a no-go. Too much of the wax had weathered away. I know from previous experience with this wax, that a quick reapply would have made things grind/slide again. 

DIY waxed curb, 1 week later.

   

(2)  Shorty’s Curb Candy Wax: Visibly, it was the same as the DIY wax (e.g. mostly gone). However, its 50/50s were a go from the first attempt. This surprised me. It wasn’t as fast as last week, but no question, it was grinding. Tail slides were a little sticky, and didn’t go far, but they went. Curb no longer smelled like a Martha Stewart Christmas Holiday Project. Thank God.   

Curb waxed with Shorty's Curb Candy, 1 week later.

  

 (3)  ENAMEL: The curb appeared just as it had last week, maybe with a little less sheen. It did not grind, at all. Likewise with tail slides. I was surprised by this. 

Enamel, 1 week later (well, 2 actually).

   

(4)  LACQUER: This also appeared just it had last week. It was still slick, and grinded/tail slid right from the start. It wasn’t AS slick as it was last week, but it was still the best of the four.  

Lacquer, 1 week later (well, 2 actually).

FINAL CONCLUSIONS & TEST WINNER

1st Place: Lacquer, hands down winner.

2^nd place: Shorty’s Wax.

Tied for 3^rd/4^th Place: DIY wax and Enamel.

Notes: It seems that for best results, use lacquer for initial priming, and then touch-up with Shorty’s if/when needed. Since these posts have gone public, a few others have mentioned bar soap and Gulf Wax (paraffin) as other good options. As result of this test, I now have a lot of extra enamel, lacquer, Shorty’s Wax, and DIY wax. I will replicate these tests on different type curbs, and throw soap and Gulf Wax into the mix. A long-term follow-up will be posted at some point in the future.